Portugal - A surprise Package

20 Unforgettable Moments in Portugal

We landed in Lisboa (local for Lisbon), Portugal via Valencia without much expectations, after memorable experiences in France and Spain. But hold on - it was a pleasant surprise for us, as we have experienced  in almost all our trips the last leg of the trip is the most amazing. So here we were in Portugal, amazing last leg of the - Time Lapse Europe series.

1. The seemingly "cheap" TAP Portugal airlines have a smart catch about the luggage. They charge you for the weight and also the size of the luggage. So do check all aspects before you travel on their ATR flights to Lisbon from Valencia. 

2.The climate in this Atlantic facing city during August, was much pleasant compared to the hot and sunny Spain. The climate was particularly amazing on a super full moon day (picture above) night in Lisboa. 

3. First time in this trip we stayed at the hostel, with bunk beds. Initially I was bit, skeptic but its fun to mingle with other travelers, learn and also travel with them. Such places shatters some of the mind-blocks as well as inhibitions.

4. 

The best place to visit for a day, if you're in Lisboa, is Sintra. A train journey of 40 minutes and you arrive in a different world, a mountain with full of palaces, castles, museums, gardens and parks. It is famous for its 19th-century Romanticist architecture. 

Sintra is something you cannot miss if you are fond of history and nature. It is also one of the most sought after real estate places in the entire Iberian peninsula with awesome climate, great views, greenery all around and also historical significance. The local government have some of its VIP meeting held in the palaces of Sintra. 

Check out the names of the places to see on the signboard. All these places are worth a visit even if  you're running short on time. Highly recommended - Pena Palace and Moors Castle. 

5. The Pena Palace is sitting on top of the hill overlooking the Sintra plains. An airy vantage point for the royal family to keep a watch on the surrounding area. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, with a rich collection of artifacts, paintings, statues and equally rich views of the nearby areas. Pena is also used for official government occasions.

  

6.

A magnificent fairy tale like palace has a typical Romanticist style architecture with mix of other styles as well. Here is one of the many entrances, it is quite scary if you observe the details on it, a mythological depiction of triton. 

The magnificent grandeur-ness of the palace spectacular views from all around the palace and also the architecture makes it a must visit palace, make sure you have this in your itinerary. There's quite a bit of climbing you have to do reach to the top, but all the efforts are worth your every calorie spend. 

It will cost you around €13,30 for an adult entry into the palace. Check the availability on their site and also book online in advance to avoid last minute hassles. 

7. The Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) is another marvelous structure just in the vicinity of Pena Palace. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, a great vantage point with dramatic views all around, upto the Atlantic. Strong structure with typical structure of the castle with watch towers across all the directions of the Sintra mountain. 

8. The Cristo Rei or The Sanctuary of Christ the King is a massive stature overlooking the Lisbon city across the Tagus river, situated in Almada municipality. Standing at 341 feet, you can spend half a day here and its surrounding park. 

9. The yachts and boats lined up in the backdrop of the monument of the discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos). Portuguese explorers and sailors were pioneers in the age of discoveries. Many renowned sailors including Vasco Da Gama was from Portugal, which is duly recognized with a monument on the banks of the Tagus river connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. 

10. The famous Tower of Belem (Torre De Belem), right at the edge of the river Tagus, another UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in 15th century by the King John II to defend Lisbon. 

11. This ferry takes you across the Tagus to Almada, from Lisbon to Sanctuary of Christ the King or the Cristo Rei. It will cost you only €1.20 for a one-way ticket. 

12. The Praça do Comércio or Terreiro do Paço is a huge public square, a typical of all European cities, located  in the downtown Lisbon, on the banks of the river Tagus. Earlier it was part of the palace Pacos de Ribeira, which was destroyed in the massive earthquake of 1755, since then it is remodeled into a square as you see now. 

13. There are many advantages of walking, and walking with a fellow traveler who has visited the place before number of times. You can explore the details of the city on foot much better than any means of transport. 

This gem of the hotel we discovered taking an off route in the alleys of Lisbon, somewhere hidden from the public eye. The old wooden architecture, ambiance and style of this hotel was unique and worth a visit. 

14. 

A bird's eye view was required to shoot the surrounding places near the Praça do Comércio. Here we were on top of the Rua Augusta arch, a terrace to get the overview of the most happening place. 

We spent almost an hour on the arch, in the scorching sun getting all sorts of angles and shots and watching the city flow from a vantage point. Got an overview of how the royal guards must have been keeping a watch on its citizens and also people arriving into Lisbon on ships from the Tagus river. 

Here you can see the modern tram which runs along with the old tram. In the background (top) you can see the 25 de Abril Bridge, which resembles very much with the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, in the USA. 

15. Do not mistake this bridge with the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, this is its twin brother - 25 de Abril Bridge, a suspension bridge with similar look and feel as the Golden Gate bridge. Incidentally, it is constructed by the same company who made the Golden Gate Bridge in the USA. Equally magnificent structure connecting the municipality of Almada to the capital city of Lisbon. 

16. 

Castelo de Jorge is bang in the downtown Lisbon. Sitting on a hill top, like all the typical castles for the view of the surrounding and a place of administration. 

Another Moorish styled castle with strong bastions. The castle is the main tourist attraction of Lisbon and hence a lot of rush, especially during the weekends. 

Though not all the castles are same, they have their own uniqueness and history. 

17. A must visit for history lovers is this place - Lisboa Story Centre. All the history of the Portugal empire, colonies and also the great era of discoveries, when the sailors from Portugal sailed from its shores in the quest to find new lands to expand its territories. I personally felt, for some of its history, is inconvenient to the present generation, which the local people want to forget but surely have taken lessons from it.  

18. 

There is a considerable difference between a tourist, traveler and explorer. 

This poster was adorning the wall in the hostel we stayed in Lisbon. It was kind of reminder to all the so called "tourist" to respect the place and fellow travelers. Such reminders may not be noticed in an hotel, but when you stay in a hostel it is more relevant. 

When we travel, we are the ambassadors of our country, the way we carry ourselves and behavior is something people notice immediately and judge. This was kind of a reminder, much required for awareness. 

19. The sunset near the Tagus and Atlantic Ocean, were exquisite to say the least. A colorful play of lights across the palette of sky, calm waters of the river and an endless promenade for watching it. We were lucky to see it during the extra time of the European summer. You can see it in detail in the video below. 

20. Tried to capture my point of view of Portugal in this short video about Travel Tips to Portugal, hope you like it. Please give your feedback in the comments below. 

Thanks for reading through. That was an end to the amazing 18 day trip across 3 countries with 3 friends and it was a lifetime memories. All of the places visited in (France, Spain & Portugal) are unique by themselves. Though we had great expectations about France and Spain, it was Portugal which surprised me most, as a package, be it amazing palaces, castles, climate, monuments, history, its people and much more. 

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